All modern video games include a display for displaying various video images according to a game program. The images may include, for example static or animated characters, background graphics and/or text. Typically, the types of images available for display are stored in a game memory operably coupled to a game controller, and the sequence for displaying the images is determined by the game program in response to player inputs. Generally, it is desirable to maximize the numbers and types of images which may be displayed by a particular game, to provide greater flexibility for game designers and to provide games which are more likely to appeal to players. Heretofore, however, the numbers and types of images which may be displayed by a particular game has been limited by the storage capacity of the game memory. Accordingly, game designers have been forced to either limit the number(s) and type(s) of images which are displayed by their games corresponding to the capacity of their game memory or, conversely, to use game memories having very large capacities to accommodate games using large numbers of images. Nevertheless, even the highest-capacity memories are capable of storing only a finite number of images and thereby limit the flexibility of the game designer.
Accordingly, there is a need for an image generation and display system for video games having the capacity to generate and display virtually unlimited numbers and types of images and which may be employed with game memories of virtually any standard type or capacity. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.